This invention generally relates to ceramic elements for use in a wide variety of industrial applications. Some of these applications include using the ceramic elements: as a proppant to facilitate the removal of liquids and/or gases from geological formations; as a media for scouring, grinding or polishing; as a bed support media in a chemical reactor; as a heat transfer media; and as a filtration media. More specifically, this invention is useful in applications that require a ceramic sphere that has high crush resistance. Even more specifically, this invention pertains to proppants that may be used in geological formations where the pressure exerted on the proppant exceeds the crush resistance of conventional proppants such as sand and resin coated sand.
Examples of patents and published patent applications directed to proppants include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,876; U.S. Pat. No. 7,067,445; and US 2006/0177661.